Among your many good points, a truly excellent one stands out:

Do not talk too much - just answer the questions, ...short and sweet, then
calmly await the next one.

Answer the questions just like you were filling out a paper form -- because
that's how the agents seem to like it. They are happiest when they do not
have to "deal with the personalities" of "Joe Public".

Marshall Ruskin
----- Original Message -----
From: "pierre a. lachance" <palachance@CCAPCABLE.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, December 08, 2001 03:42 PM
Subject: Re: Questions about crossing the border into Canada with rebiult
engines to show and maybe sell

> Bob!
>
> the only thing i have to say is that if you do call the cdn customs, try
to
> take the name of the agents you are talking to, after he  or they answered
> all your questions...if they  do not want, at least his number...back in
97,
> i bought a weekender 85 in florida; before going down to get the west. i
> spent almost two hours talking to custom agents, in quebec city, also  in
> lacolle on I- 87, where i was going to cross,  and even called  the us
> customs in lacolle also... everything seemed ok, and i was prepared for
what
> they had told me. But when i drove back, the van was overevaluated by
> 2500.$cdn, had to pay a custom tax of 9%, as a german made van,  they had
> forgot to tell me, Gst 7% and if you are unlucky, 7.5%, quebec provincial
> tax, and they had also forgot to tell me that i had to pay a broker, 250.$
> to fill papers that i could have easily filled myself??? i have never been
> in south america, but that day, i really thought i was crossing to a
> "corrupt" country,  where i had been living for 50 years ???
>
>  but on the contrary,  you could also "fall" on a good guy or girl that
will
> understand what are your good purposes or intentions... of our days, i try
> to always be legal,  i do not talk too much, but answer their questions
> politely and directily!
>
> good luck
>
> pierre a. lachance
> lac beauport, quebec
>